The peace and pleasure of decluttering
When my husband and I were newly married, we furnished our tiny apartment with hand-me-down corduroy couches, $19 folding chairs we bought at an import store, and old pots and pans borrowed from our parents’ kitchens. Fifteen years later, I’m looking at a house full of furniture and belongings we gathered as we rolled along, had kids, and made a little more money. And, while our home certainly looks nicer and feels more comfortable than our humble newlywed apartment did, it also comes with a weight I don’t always feel like carrying.
We’re not super-acquirers, but we’ve got your average complement of “grownup house” trappings. Martini glasses we have no idea what to do with, tablecloths that sit, folded and unused, in a hallway drawer, a wine vacuum pump (?). All stuff we figured we’d need, or we’d gotten as gifts, or we’d collected during our travels. Problem is, sorting, cleaning, maintaining, and putting away this “stuff” takes up quite a bit of time, especially with two kids conspiring to undo my feeble attempts at order.
Stuff has a way of taking on a life of its own: demanding one’s attention and care but giving little in return. And so, a subtle turnaround has taken place in our home. We now get as excited about getting rid of stuff as we used to about getting it in the first place. Every trip to the resale shop or Goodwill yields a thrill. Every item sold on Craigslist feels like a triumph. Everything passed on to a friend (or stranger) in need regains a bit of its luster. And with each bag or box that leaves our house, life feels a bit more open. With the extra room in the closet comes room to breathe.
The homemaking guru Flylady calls decluttering “blessing the world” with your stuff. I used to scoff at her euphemism, but I’ve come to believe that she’s onto something. Not only am I setting my stuff free so it can help or delight someone else, I’m setting myself free as well.
by Asha Dornfest, Parent Hacks
What you’re doing is trading with kids and since it is a lot more you can leverage and make more profits. That’s no good for kids. Except for the world, you are all set to go.
Accepted! Halfway through your house — that right there is a huge accomplishment. I’m staring at my office right now, and am suddenly overcome with the desire to go to sleep. Come on, self, you can do it!